Carrying case with freely hinged closure



Feb. 16, 1965 1.. STEIN CARRYING CASE WITH FREELY HINGED CLOSURE Filed Dec. 2'7. 1961 2+ INVENTOB. A50 6727 A TTORNE YS United States Patent 3,169,615 CARRYING CASE WITH FREELY HINGE!) CLGSURE Leo Stein, Chicago, 111., assignor to Stein Bros. Mfg. (10.,

Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 27, 1961,. Ser. No. 162,602

. 7' Claims. (Cl. mil-43) This invention relates to luggage and more particularly to a carrying case of the general type known as a catalogue or brief case.

An objective of this invention is to provide an improved carrying case that is not only stronger, but allows the flap closure to open out fully and easily, and yet is more economical to manufacture;

Another objective of this invention is to provide an improved carrying case, of the catalogue or brief case type, having overlapping flaps, as a closure, with improved means for connecting the flaps to the sidesof the case which also serves as reinforcing beads along the upper edges of the sides of the case and to resist wear.

In accordance with the general features of this invention, there is provided in a carrying case or luggage bag having sides with opposite movable closure flaps adapted to overlap each other, movable means'for connecting-the fiaps to the sides, each comprising a pivotalhingedconnection between an edge of each side and its associated flap. I p

Still another feature of the invention relates to the connecting of the closure flaps of the bag to the sides by means of elongated piano hinges. v

Yet another feature or" the invention relates to providing hinges between closure flaps and sides .of'a'bag, each of which has hinge plates connected by a common hinge pin with the plates embedded in the sides and flaps of the b g a v A further feature of the invention relates to providing a carrying case having overlapping closure flaps with hinges, each of which includes plate portion provided with spaced holes, each of a size to'receive a sewing machine needle and with the plate portions secured to the flaps and sides by stitching passing through the holes and the material ofthe iiaps and sides. a

Another and still further feature of theinvention relates to the provision'of a carrying case wherein-'upper'edgesof its sides are offset with'relation to adjoining edges of the top closure flaps so that at each junction there isprovided an elongated space in which an elongated piano hinge is disposed'for connecting thefiap' to theside with the-hinge in substantial flush relation to me adjoining exterior'surfaces oftheflap'and side. w z

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of piano hinge connections between closure'flaps-ofa bag and adjoining sides'ofsuch construction and arrangement that the hinges perforrnthe-multipurpose of providing for the pivoting ofthe-liaps, of 'maintainingthe sidesxof the bag vertical at theopeniend and of resisting collapsing of the sides." i f i. l .Otherobjects and i dvantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illusirate a similar embodiment ther'e'of-j-and inwhichi.

FIGURE 1 is: aperspec'tive view of 'a' case or; enibodying the feature'efthis inyention and showing-the upper closure flaps} when: open, in dotted line positions;

FIGURE 2 is arrenlargedfragmentary cross-sectional view-taken substantially along thelin'e ll ll. of-FIGURE 1, {and showing in dotted lines one of the closure flaps in openposition; and.

)FIGURE'S is a fragmentary planview of a side and a flap when the latter'isopen in alignmentwith the side 3,169,615 Patented Feb. 16, 1955 and showing portions broken away to illustrate the hinge plate portions sandwiched between the plies of the side and flap, as well as showing the stitching through the holes in such hinge portions.

As shown on the drawings:

The carrying case or luggage bag embodying my invention is designated generally in FIGURE 1 by the reference numeral 10. With. the exception of hardware, it may be made of my suitable sheet materiahsuch for example, as multi-ply plastic material or multi-ply leather-like material. This bag has vertical sides 11, which are integrally connected through a bottom 12 so that the sides and the bottom, in reality, can comprise onesheet of material.

a The sides 11 are spaced apart byle'nds l3 suitably attached or sewn at its edges 14 to the sides and the bottom.

The upper end of this bag, while formed open, is adapted to be closed by means of overlappingclosure flaps 15 and 16 comprising primarily'extensions of the bag sid'es 11.

The underlying flap 16 can be'provided with a suitablehandle 17 of a size to project through a slot 13 in the overlapping flaplfi. V The bag maybe provided with the customary hardware, such for example, 'as latches or looks 19 19, which may be of any conventional construction for latching or locking the overlapping fiaplS to .theunderlyingflap 16.

The foregoing described portions of my bag are more or Moreover, after repeated usage, the material of the sides and flaps, at their junctions, would tend to buckle and in fact, to abrade and wear out. v v

.Nowit will be appreciated that the merchandising of bags of this type involves a highly competitive business, and that, hence, any improvements that are made must take into consideration the economy of the bag with refer-- ence to its cost of manufacture. I propose accordance with the feature of this invention to reinforce greatly and to increase the longevity. of a bag of the present'chara'cter without detracting from the competitive marketingjof the same. V 7

To the foregoing end, there is provided between each flap 1546 and the associated bag sides 11, a novel piano hinge joint designated generally by the reference character 24?. Since the joint at each side is identical, .a descripe tion of one will-sufiice for both.

The pianohinge structure '21 is more fully disclosed in FIGURES 2 and 3, and maybe made ofany suitable relativelyrigid material, such as metal or even of strong plastic material. The hinge is of'a conventional piano hinge type and embodies pivotal hinge plates; 21 and 22, through alignedeyes- 21aand 22a. of which there is. a common hinge oripivotallpin,-or-pintle 23.. v i

1 Plate 22 of '-thehinge is sandwiched between plies lla and 11b of one side 51, and sewing machine. stitching 24 extends through holes 25 in theplate to fasten the plate to the plies. Similarly, the'otherplate 21 is sandwiched between plies-15a and'lSbbf-aflap .lfijand has stitching 26 through spaced holes- 27 ind e-plate 23 for anchoringthdplate-tothe-fiap; I

i The holes 25 and-27 111 the hingeplatesare 'of asize to permit-a; sewing machine needle to pass freely through the same as thehinge plate-isbeing stitched" in sandwiched relation to-the adjoiningpliesof material. lf it is'so desired, the plies of material, may beprepunched to provide -ho1es:for alignment with .theholes inthe plates so as to facilitate stitching. Of course, it will be appreciated that other suitable means may be employed for fastening the hinge plates to the sides 11 and the adjoining flaps such for illustration as a plastic cement.

Now, referring particularly to FIGURE 2, it will be noted that in "the case of each flap 15-16, its edge adjoining the side 11 is offset inwardly so as to define a longitudinal space 30 between the adjoining edges of each flap and side. This space is of a size to receive the hinged area of the hinges including the aligned hinge eyes or rounded hinged portions 21a and 22a so that the hinged area will appear to be substantially flush with the adjoining exterior surfaces of the flap and side.

Actually, the location of the hinge 29 in the longitudinal space 30 protects the adjoining edges of the flap and side and more important, reinforces the side at its tippermost extremity so as to resist buckling or giving in of the side. Another advantage is that each hinge serves as a buffer or bead at the top of the bag to minimize wear and tear and abrading at the upper end of the bag in the use of the same.

From the foregoing, it is clear that each hinge, which, of course, is preferably made of metal construction, not only performs the purpose of providing a pivotal connection between the bag sides 11 and the adjoining flaps, but in addition, comprises a reinforcement for resisting buckling or giving in of the side and for protecting the adjoining edges of the sides and flaps from abrading contact with other objects. 7

I claim as my invention:

1. In a luggage bag including multi-ply sides with opposite movable multi-ply closure flaps adapted to overlap each other to'close an open end of the bag, a pivotal hinge connection between an edge of each side and an edge of its associated flap comprising an elongated piano type hinge, there being one hinge on each side of the bag at its open end, said sides and flaps being made of multiply sheet material and said hinge including plates connected by a common hinge pin and one plate having a portion extending between and embedded in plies of a side and the other plate having a portion extending between and embedded in plies of a flap, said plate portions each having spaced holes each of a size to receive a sewing machine needle and said hinge plate portions being secured to said flap and side by stitching passing through said holes and through the plies of said flap and side. a

2. In a luggage bag including multi-ply sides with opposite movable multi-ply closure flaps adapted'to overlap each other to close an open end of the bag, a pivotal hinge connection between an edge of each side and an edge of its associated flap comprising an elongated piano type hinge, there being one hinge one each side of the bag at its open end, said sides and flaps being made of multi-ply sheet material and said hinge including plates having hinge eyes connected by a common hinge pin and one plate having a portion extending between and embedded in plies of a side and the other plate having a portion extending'between and embedded in plies of a flap, said plate portions each having spaced holes each of a size to receive a sewing machine needle and said hinge plate portions being secured'to said flap and side by stitching passing through said holes and through the plies of said flap and sides, the hinged edges of said flap and side being offset relative to each other when the flap is in closed position, thus defining an elongated space in which the joined hinge eyes of the piano type hinge are disposed in substantially flush relation with the exterior surfaces of the flap and side.

3. In a luggage bag including multi-ply side with opposite movable multi-ply closure flaps'adapted to overlap each other to close an open end of the bag, a pivotal hinge connection between an edge of each side and an edge of its associated flap comprising an elongated piano type hinge, there being one hinge on each side of the bag at its open end, said sides and flaps being made of multi-ply sheet material and said hinge including plates having hinge eyes connected by a cmmon hinge pin and one plate having a portion extending between and embedded in plies of a side and the other plate having a portion extending between and embedded in plies of a flap, said plate portions each having spaced holes each of a size to receive a sewing machine needle and said hinge plate portions being secured to said flap and side by stitching passing through said holes and through the plies of said flap and side, the hinged edges of said flap and side being offset relative to each other when the flap is in closed position, thus defining an elon ated space in which the joined hinge eyes of the piano type hinge are disposed in substantially flush relation with the exterior surfaces of the flap and side, said hinges comprising reinforcement between the flaps and the bag sides for maintaining the bag sides at the open end of the bag vertical and to resist collapsing of said sides.

4. In a luggage bag including sides with opposite movable closure flaps adapted to overlap each other to close an open end of the bag, a pivotal hinge connection between an edge of each side and an edge of its associated flap comprising an elongated hinge, there being one on each side of the bag at its open end, said sides and flaps being made of sheet material and said hinge including plates connected by hinge means and one plate having a portion extending in lapping engagement with the'sheet material of a side and the other plate having a portion extending in lapping engagement with the sheet material of a flap, said plate portions each having spaced holes each of a size to receive a sewing machine needle and said hinge plate portions being secured to said flap and side by stitching passing through said holes and tween an edge of each side and an edge of its associated flap comprising an elongated metallic hinge, there being one on each side of the bag at its open end, said sides and flaps being made of multi-ply sheet material and said hinges each including plates connected by hinge means and one plate having a portion extending in lapping engagement between plies of the sheet material of a side and the other plate having a portion extending in lapping engagement between plies of the sheet material of a flap, said plate portions each having spaced holes, and stitching means extended through said holes and through the sheet material of said flap and side securing one of said plate portions with said flap and the other of said plate portions with said side.

6. In a luggage bag including multi-ply sides with oppo site 'rnovable multi-ply closure flaps adapted to overlap each other to close'an open end of the bag, a pivotal hinge connection between an edge of each side and an edge of its associated flap comprising an elongated piano type hinge, there being one hinge on each side of the bag at its open end, said sides and flaps being made of multi-ply sheet material and said hinge including plates having hinge eyes connected by a common hinge pin and one plate having a portion extending between and embedded -in plies of a side and the other plate having a portion ex tending between and embedded in plies of a flap, said plate portions each having spaced holes, and means extended through said holes and through the plies of said flap and side securing said hinge plate portions to said flap and side, the hinged edges of said flap andside being offset relative to each other when the flap is in closed position, thus defining an elongated space in which the joined hinge eyes of the elongated piano edge are disposed in substantially flush relation wtih the exterior surfaces of the flap and side, said hinge plates comprising reinforcements between the flaps and the bag sides for maintaining the bag sides at the open end of the bag vertical and to resist collapsing of said sides.

7. In a luggage bag including multi-ply sides with opposite movable multi-ply closure flaps adapted to overlap each other to close an open end of the bag, a pivotal hinge connection between an edge of each side and an edge of its associated flap comprising an elongated piano type hinge, there being one hinge on each side of the bag at its open end, said sides and flaps being made of multiply sheet material and said hinge including plates having hinge eyes connected by a common hinge pin and one late having a portion extending along piles of an associated one of said sides and the other plate having a portion extending along plies of an associated one of said flaps, said plate portions each having spaced holes, and means extended through said holes and through the plies of said flap and side securing said hinge plate portions to said flap and side, the hinged edges of said flap and side being offset relative to each other When the flap is in closed position, thus defining an elongated space in which the joined hinge eyes of the elongated piano type hinge are disposed in substantially flush relation with the exterior surfaces of the flap and side, said hinge plates comprising reinforcements between the flaps and the bag sides for maintaining the bag sides at the open end of the bag vertical and to resist collapsing of said sides.

References Cited by the Examiner UNlTED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain. Netherlands.

GEGRGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

DONALD R. SCHRAN, FRANKLIN T.

GARRETT, Examiners. 

4. IN A LUGGAGE BAG INCLUDING SIDES WITH OPPOSITE MOVABLE CLOSURE FLAPS ADAPTED TO OVERLAP EACH OTHER TO CLOSE AN OPEN END OF THE BAG, A PIVOTAL HINGE CONNECTION BETWEEN AN EDGE OF EACH SIDE AND AN EDGE OF ITS ASSOCIATED FLAP COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HINGE, THERE BEING ONE OF EACH SIDE OF THE BAG AT ITS OPEN END, SAID SIDES AND FLAPS BEING MADE OF SHEET MATERIAL AND SAID HINGE INCLUDING PLATES CONNECTED BY HINGE MEANS AND ONE PLATE HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING IN LAPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SHEET MATERIAL OF A SIDE AND THE OTHER PLATE HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING IN LAPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SHEET MATERIAL OF A FLAP, SAID PLATE PORTIONS EACH HAVING SPACED HOLES EACH OF A SIZE TO RECEIVE A SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE AND SAID HINGE PLATE PORTIONS BEING SECURED TO SAID FLAP 